University Applications 2026 - Support Thread

[Ventress]

DS is applying to start university in Autumn 2026. He's done several open days and has a reasonable idea of where and what he wants to wants to study - History or History & Politics.

He loved UCL and Exeter, liked Warwick, didn't like Bristol. He's also talking about early application but can't decide whether to apply to Oxford or Cambridge. He's also muttering about Durham, which he didn't visit but others in his History class did and loved it.

Anyone join me for a thread to support our DC as they navigate this process? DS is my only child so this is all new to me!

Warwick felt more business park than Disney to us, felt like DS may be a bit cut-off on that campus esp as he's not sporty or arty and wouldn't be using the sports hub or arts centre, so it could feel a bit dead. But it's still on the list as the course is good there so it's not total marmite. More that the campus is something to be factored in against city-based unis. Or even more lively campuses - seemed like there was only a handful of places to hang out compared to a campus like Lancaster. Worth going to check it out as it's definitely a personal response.

@pinkdelight if he's not sporty or arty what does he want instead?

He's a nerdy type and not that outgoing so no specific club. It's more that if you're in a city or livelier campus, you can more easily be amongst people at gigs, comedy nights, shops, cafes etc., or even just walking from halls to the uni. It just felt pretty quiet there, like apart from the sports and arts centre, there was one mini-market, a couple of coffee shops and a bar, whereas other campuses felt to have lots more meeting points and options. But I know some students who love it at Warwick, join lots of clubs and get the bus into Cov/Leamington Spa, so it will really suit some. I could just see DS staying in his room a lot there.

@pinkdelight Hmm. DD2 is pretty nerdy (but very arty and loves theatre backstage crew work as well as climbing and swimming, though not competitively) so I'm encouraging her towards a campus university as I think she'd do well somewhere with a busy Students' Union and lots of societies. That's something that Man Met (very city) has lacked for DD1. DD2 liked the course at Warwick but is refusing to apply as I studied there as did DH's brother and SIL and she wants her own place. I can see her point though I loved my time at Warwick. The SU at Warwick is big and busy and DD2 liked it as there was lots going on. However she also liked York very much as it also had a busy SU and lots of nerdy societies so what will be will be, her choice not mine. Going to look at Nottingham at the end of June as that's also campus and has a course she's interested in.

She's sounds switched on and knows what she wants which is great. Fair enough to want her own place. Heard good things about York and Nottingham too. Notts is campus but within the city so best of both worlds unlike Warwick, though as I say, latter is great for many including you. As I say, it's still on DS list. Just weighing up pro's and cons of courses, locations, and all the variables. Hope she likes Notts and ends up somewhere with everything she enjoys.

DS is nerdy and sporty. The Warwick campus looked good to me.

nice theatre too.

Exeter had a very nice theatre too 😊

Edinburgh have come through with an offer! So pleased for DD and she is very happy. Sadly the offer holder day is the day of her Art A level exam so we are thinking of a weekend visit to see the city and get a feel of things in the next few weeks. It is A* A A so not as high as I feared it could be. So that is all five decisions back now. Some thinking to do.

Great news @ArchitectureMum. Your dd must be so pleased! What a shame about the timing of the OHD though.

Well done to your daughter @ArchitectureMum! Will you be able to get up there? Has your daughter decided which will be firm and which insurance?

<big sigh> six months later than he applied DS has come out with the sweeping statement that he has learnt French and Russian with a view to applying in the EU and taking, not A levels, but some sort of conventional French and Russian. I knew has been taking Russian (for several years) but French is new to me. He seems to think that French and Russian (in its variants ) and will help him get a job in the EU and possibly in the wider job market. Surely he should have thought of this earlier? I’m not sure what to do with this information now. A Levels are almost on us. Shall I wait until A levels have finished and tell him to take a year out perhaps, using the year as a volunteer at school or at the museum (they have a really great museum and a very good Ukrainian group (which DS has been going to as part of his chess development).

Or should it be formal and included in his statement despite not having taken the subjects up to A level?
His Russian is certainly better than his French he’s just never bothered to mention it.

So frustrating!

DS now has all his responses. Imperial emailed this morning and it's a no as expected. We did the bath OHD last weekend and he had pretty much decided that was his firm then so he really isn't bothered, probably Notts for insurance - nice to finally have it all in though!

Great news on the Edinburgh offer @ArchitectureMum !

Good to have all the decisions even if there is the odd rejection. Glad your DS is excited about Bath @JustHereWithMyPopcorn . A fantastic uni and city.

@Ventress whst a curveball at this stage! When will he sit the language exams? He doesn’t have to reject the offers he is holding until after results day to keep his option open for now. Lots of time to think.

We are going up to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks time and DD is pretty convinced it will be her firm with Sheffield as insurance but need to get a feel for the place first. We are in touch with someone on the course which is obviously really helpful for our DIY visit. Very lucky and grateful for that.

That’s great news @ArchitectureMumi hope Edinburgh goes goes. Having Sheffield is insurance is excellent. It’s all coming through now isn’t it?

I’m sorry about Imperial @JustHereWithMyPopcorn- although I’m not not sorry for your bank account! I’m glad the Bath OHD went well and your son has decided that that is likely to be firm for him. Notts as insurance is really good too. And both reasonably close to home. Was the accommodation better than you expected?

I’ve decided that I’m going to leave the foreign languages to DS. I think this is why the is targeting UCL he has hasn’t bothered saying so. At the school they have assistants with languages. If he wants to take a year out and do languages with them then is plenty of scope and thats up to him.

@ArchitectureMum my uni bestie did her post grad at Edinburgh and loved it. She still lives there now. Sounds like your Dd has herself sorted now which is very reassuring.

@Ventress I don’t know how I missed your post, well that’s an announcement straight out of left field! I think you are right to just leave things to him at the moment with the languages, try and get him focussed on his A levels and then make any big decisions once they are done. Is there any Russian/Ukranian links for you? Russian is a hard language to learn!

On Imperial I must say I did give a sigh of relief about costs! 😂 Sadly there were only two halls open for viewing and the nice one is not cheap either. I’m praying (and we should all join hands for this) that all this talk about Plan 2 and Plan 5 student loans by political parties will change what our poor DCs are signing up to come September. They really are scandalous.

Little happy dance today - 4 applications put in, 3 conditional offers and 1 unconditional 😊 not sure how DD is going to choose, expecting many 10pm conversations (anyone else’s DC do that 🥱) but so pleased for her!

How are people getting on? Plan here is to apply for finance this weekend and try to decide/apply for accommodation…

Big change of plans here as DS has been offered a degree apprenticeship outside of UCAS, and the required grades are (a little) lower than any of his uni offers. He definitely plans to accept the DA, though he will accept his favoured uni, and apply to defer as a back up plan. So won’t bother with student loan finance at this point. Really happy for him, it was a long and time-consuming process!

Mine firmed and insured last night, and we did SFE and DSA application on the day it opened. Accommodation portals for his first choice opens on 6th May so we are going to spend the bank holiday Monday looking at their website and listing his choices. They don't find out until after results day what they have been allocated so hopefully we will be able to forget about it over the summer!

DS2 got four conditional offers (with a particularly low 'carrot' from Exeter, which he isn't taking up). He didn't get an offer from Cambridge after interview, but seemed rather relieved, as his opinion of their Engineering facilities was not the best.

He went to one OHD with XH the other day and we have one at the end of next week, after which he'll be making his final decision about firm and insure. Currently he likes them both equally so he has a tough choice to make! I think (hope!) he's doing his finance with his Dad.

His school have 'recommended' that they do 8 hours revision per day over the Easter break so he's a bit bogged down right now!

8 hours a day of revision! That's mad. My DS thinks he has done well when he has done 2 to 3 hours!

@MiniMidiMaxi great about degree apprenticeship!

Feeling very mucky no a levels here so working on final project but much less stress by all accounts.

I’m a bit scared about accommodation choice, loan amounts etc but need to get on with it and work out a budget!

That's what I said. I don't think he's actually doing 8 hours, but he definitely is doing at least 2 sessions a day of around 2-3 hours each. I still think that's a bit of overkill, given that he's been revising since January, but he's a rule-follower.

Ultimately he's a sensible kid so I don't get overly involved with his revision schedule, but I do occasionally insist on an outdoors break if he's looking peaky.

Just joining in please?
dd has 4 offers, still waiting to hear from Kings. She has decided on her firm choice already, to do modern history and politics at Manchester ( where we live, she’s decided not to move away) so joining in for the support x

DD has decided where she will be studying next year, and accommodation opens on 22 April, so I'm very much hoping she will get her first choice.